Many television users (or viewers) regularly watch a number of television (TV) channels that display TV content, such as TV shows, pay-per-view (PPV) content, video-on-demand (VOD) content, etc. Some TV content may be provided to viewers in a standard definition format, while other TV content may be provided to viewers in a high definition format having resolution substantially higher than a resolution of the standard definition format. One or more commercials or advertisements (ads) may be displayed to the user during the airing of the TV content.
Targeted ad insertion systems have been developed that send advertisement video streams on independent advertisement channels at a time when a content channel (e.g., a television channel) enters an advertisement break. A set-top box (STB), provided in a customer's premises, may be instructed to change channels to the advertisement channel carrying the advertisement relevant to the viewer. However, due to bandwidth constraints, the advertisement may be provided to the STB in a standard definition format. Thus, if the viewer is watching TV content in a high definition format, the STB will have to rescale a standard definition picture displayed on a television in order to properly display the advertisement.
Targeted ad insertion systems may experience several issues that may prevent an advertisement from been displayed on the television by the STB. For example, targeted ad insertion systems may use ad channels that require bandwidth to be set aside for carrying advertisement video streams when any content channel enters an advertisement break. The greater the number of content channels using the ad channels for ad insertion, the greater the likelihood that such ad channels may not be available when needed by a specific content channel for ad insertion.